Effective Writing Strategies for ESL Learners
1. Language Demands in Writing to Learn: Four key demands include:
- Choosing appropriate vocabulary
- Using correct grammar and sentence patterns
- Mastering spelling and layout
- Developing and connecting ideas, focusing on communication and the reader
2. Stages of Writing Development for Native Speakers:
Preparatory Stage: Focuses on handwriting and spelling mechanics, becoming automatic around age seven.
Consolidation Stage: Writing is context-bound, personal, and colloquial. Children become fluent story writers, developing audience awareness by age nine.
Differentiation Stage: Writing structures become distinct around ages nine or ten, showing evidence of varied structures.
3. Importance of Copying in Early Writing Stages: Copying provides:
- Opportunities to practice handwriting
- Learning and consolidating vocabulary understanding
- Developing awareness and confidence in English spelling
- Practicing simple sentence patterns learned in speaking
4. Completing Sentences for Writing Practice:
- Children should not be asked to write something they cannot say in English.
- Writing practice helps widen and consolidate vocabulary, grammatical structures, and sentence patterns.
- Practice in meaning and spelling of basic words makes their use more automatic.
- Teachers should ensure writing is contextualized and related to a real-life situation.
5. Integrating Writing with Other Skills: Teaching writing in isolation is not ideal. Integration with other skills is crucial, especially as students become more confident.
6. What is “Letter Day”? A guideline where children bring in items starting with a specific letter, labeling and displaying them.
7. What is a Word Bank? Cards with words and pictures around the room, aiding spelling and meaning.
8. Using Venn Diagrams to Improve Writing: Venn diagrams compare information, providing sentence patterns like, “My guinea pig eats lettuce, my cat drinks milk, but my tortoise eats lettuce and drinks milk too.” Useful after two years of English.
9. Flow Charts and Grids: Visual organizers supporting structured writing.
10. Word Maps for Vocabulary Planning: Mapping key ideas and vocabulary for descriptions or poems, using models, word banks, or dictionaries.
11. Are Charts with Notes Useful? Yes, they organize writing and reduce cognitive load. Example:
- What does this animal look like?
- Where does it live?
- What does it eat?
Language Needed:
- A tiger is…
- It has…
- It lives in…
- It eats…
12. Defining Dictogloss: A procedure integrating writing with other skills, enabling collaborative writing.